Inadequate Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Found Among U.S. Children

Children and adolescents aren't meeting guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, according to researcher.

Share:

Total shares:

FULL STORY

Children and adolescents aren't meeting guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, according to researchers at Ohio State University.

The researchers analyzed results of the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess the amounts of fruits and vegetables consumed by children and adolescents compared to Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations, and to identify factors related to low fruit and vegetable consumption.

In a study of more than 6,500 children ages 2 to 18, the researchers found those not meeting recommendations tended to be male, older and living in households making between 130 percent and 350 percent of the federal poverty level.

The researchers found 2-to-5 year-olds consumed significantly more fruit and juice than children ages 6 to 11 and 12 to 18 year olds. Total vegetable consumption was significantly higher among 12-to-18 year-olds. However, only 8 percent of vegetables consumed by children in all groups were dark green or orange; fried potatoes constituted about 46 percent of total vegetable consumption.

The study also found fruit consumption differed significantly among race, ethnicities and household income. Mexican Americans consumed significantly more fruit than non-Hispanic white children and adolescents. In addition, non-Hispanic black children and adolescents consumed significantly more dark-green vegetables and fewer deep-yellow vegetables than Mexican American and non-Hispanic white children and adolescents.

The researchers concluded: "These children and adolescents should be targeted for nutritional interventions focusing on amounts and types of fruits and vegetables to consume. Nevertheless, there is a common need among American children and adolescents for nutritional interventions designed to increase daily fruit and vegetable consumption. When counseling children, adolescents and their parents/caregivers, dietitians need to address factors that may influence fruit and vegetable intake, such as gender, age, race/ethnicity and income."

This study was published in the March 2009 Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

American Dietetic Association. "Inadequate Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Found Among U.S. Children." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 March 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302183254.htm>.

American Dietetic Association. (2009, March 6). Inadequate Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Found Among U.S. Children. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 2, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302183254.htm

American Dietetic Association. "Inadequate Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Found Among U.S. Children." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302183254.htm (accessed August 2, 2015).

July 31, 2015  School is just around the corner, which means backpacks and packed lunches await your children. One expert offers tips for parents to promote healthy dental habits while away from ... read more

July 29, 2015  By blocking the expression of a certain gene in patients, researchers have contributed to the demonstration of great decreases in the concentration of triglycerides in their ... read more

July 29, 2015  Viewing aquarium displays led to noticeable reductions in blood pressure and heart rate, a research team found in the first study of its kind. They also noted that higher numbers of fish helped to ... read more

Dec. 11, 2014  The fruits and vegetables provided at school deliver an important dietary boost to low income adolescents, according to a study. "Innovation in school food offerings for kids has emphasized ... read more

Mar. 4, 2014  New federal standards launched in 2012 that require schools to offer healthier meals have led to increased fruit and vegetable consumption, according to a new study. The study, the first to examine ... read more

Sep. 26, 2013  A European study analyzes the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of mortality. As previous research has already suggested, this study concludes that fruit and vegetable ... read more

June 15, 2011  Not only do fruits and vegetables furnish valuable dietary nutrients, but they also contribute vital elements to chronic disease prevention for heart disease, hypertension, certain cancers, vision ... read more